SLEEPING POSITION AND SUDDEN-INFANT-DEATH-SYNDROME (SIDS) - EFFECT OFAN INTERVENTION PROGRAM TO AVOID PRONE SLEEPING

The proportion of prone sleeping among sudden infant death syndrome (S IDS) victims and infants in general, and the rate of SIDS were prospec tively studied in the county of Hordaland, Norway, three years before (1987-89) and three years after (1990-92) a campaign to discourage pro ne sleeping. Before the campaign, 64% of random reference infants were put prone versus 8% after (p < 0.0001). Concurrently, the rate of SID S decreased from 3.5 to 1.6 per 1000 live births (63 infants before an d 30 after the campaign, p = 0.0002). Prone sleeping was not considere d a statistically significant risk factor for SIDS before (OR 2.0, 95% CI 0.8-4.5), but was highly significant (OR 11.3, 95% CI 3.6-36.5) af ter the campaign. Prone sleeping is an important risk factor for SIDS, but the association may be missed in epidemiological studies if prone is the predominant sleeping position. Behaviour with regard to sleepi ng position may be changed rapidly by means of a simple campaign.